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Post by rberman on May 6, 2020 13:28:16 GMT -5
I thought it might be fun to discuss different heroes and their "best" story. Or your "favorite" story if you prefer. So let's start with the biggest gun. What's your best/favorite Superman story? Explain the answer below. Try to limit it to actual Superman appearances, not Supreme/Hyperion/Etc. Alternate reality Supermen are fine. Movies, radio dramas, TV episodes, newspaper strips, and cartoons are fine too. I intended to make the poll open-ended, so if you can't add one, indicate it in the comments. Try to keep it to a discrete story rather than something general like "Triangle Era" if possible.
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Post by brutalis on May 6, 2020 13:40:27 GMT -5
Having read only a few of the listed ones I went for Death of Superman. Truly well done and thought out story which captured much of what makes Superman the premiere hero of DC. Was it a sales Gimmick? Yes. But what a gimmick and done properly story wise. And knowing it wouldn't last really wasn't something which mattered, as it was a thrilling concept and those heroes stepping up "replacing" the Man of Steel were truly given room to explore their attempts and helped show how important Supes' really is.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,381
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Post by shaxper on May 6, 2020 13:46:27 GMT -5
WHICH Death of Superman? I prefer the first, but still love the second.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 6, 2020 13:50:00 GMT -5
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Post by Prince Hal on May 6, 2020 13:57:40 GMT -5
Only voted for two, because one that jumped to my mind immediately was "Superman's Return to Krypton," from Superman 141 (Nov. 1960). Can't recall when/ where I first read it. It wasn't when it came out, but I can't recall seeing it in any of the reprints listed on Mike's Amazing site. I think I may have picked up a beaten-up copy back in college. In any event, it was classic Weisinger Superman: melodramatic, heartbreaking, soapy, yes, but the Wayne Boring art was majestic, the twists and turn of the plot Dickensian in newsprint, and the story of Superman's lost Kryptonian love, Lyla Lerrol (Yes, of course her initials were LL!), resonates with me and all the other Ancient Ones still.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2020 14:07:01 GMT -5
I mean....I just had to get it. It's not bosom-friendly though....like lying on the bed with a concrete block on your chest.
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Post by dbutler69 on May 6, 2020 14:22:25 GMT -5
I had to vote for All-Star Superman, though in way it's almost cheating since it's a bunch of different Superman stories. I think Christopher Reeve is the best Superman, but I can't quite put either of the first two Superman movies ahead of All-Star Superman.
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Post by MDG on May 6, 2020 14:23:23 GMT -5
WHICH Death of Superman? I prefer the first, but still love the second. I automatically think of this one: I went with For the Man Who has Everything--it was in an annual, but essentially "just another story." That is, an incident, not an event. Also, Superman, The Movie. Still my second-favorite comic book movie.
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Post by Prince Hal on May 6, 2020 14:29:15 GMT -5
Oh that Virus-X saga was one of my favorites, too, MDG! As was the original "Death" novel.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 6, 2020 14:37:17 GMT -5
Wait...people actually like Death of Superman (that abomination in the 90s, the other one is almost a good story)?
Geez...next thing you know someone will contend that Knightfall was a good storyline.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on May 6, 2020 14:42:44 GMT -5
But to answer the question, the greatest Superman story is "Superman Battles Death Underground" from Action Comics #3 closely followed by "The Mechanical Monsters" the second Fleischer Brothers cartoon.
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Post by beyonder1984 on May 6, 2020 15:04:09 GMT -5
Wait...people actually like Death of Superman (that abomination in the 90s, the other one is almost a good story)? Geez...next thing you know someone will contend that Knightfall was a good storyline. Hahaha...CBR ranked it #10: www.cbr.com/75-greatest-batman-stories-master-list/I, too, was surprised The 1990s Death of Superman was even on this Classics Comics poll and someone said it was the best. Newbies should check out Scott McCloud's 1986 Destroy!! to see how the Doomsday plot ought to have been a parody.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2020 15:14:34 GMT -5
one of my favorite pages... My second choice would be Secret ID. My third is All Star.
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Post by Deleted on May 6, 2020 15:24:53 GMT -5
I've seen the Fleischer cartoons once, a long time ago. I have a feeling that if I was better acquainted, one or two if them would be in the running for my favorite.
Hitman 34. For starters, it's a fairly nuanced take on "Superman can't be there for everyone all the time" idea. And the earnestness of Ennis' love of American ideals (don't get me started on the reality), as seen through the lens of Superman is really touching. I literally get choked up just recalling the line "I'm an American. What can I do to help?"
"Up In The Sky" - The recent Tom King story from the 80-page giants. It's one of those stories where the writer wants to cover all of the aspects of the character, and King's take on all of them is spot-on traditional without feeling like a retread. Granted, the plot and/or pacing was off sometimes, where I felt as though I missed a page here-and-there, but that aside, I don't see this every story leaving my top three Supes list.
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Post by chadwilliam on May 6, 2020 16:03:08 GMT -5
I'm honestly not trying to stir anything up, but that's a really weird and random assortment of Superman stories. Nothing from before his 40th year in the business and no comics predating 1985? It's sort of like conducting a 'Greatest Paul McCartney Song Ever' poll and not giving any options prior to 1987.
Anyhoo...
My favorite comic story of all time is "The Showdown Between Luthor and Superman!" (Superman 163). To be honest, that's more of a Luthor story than a Superman one - Luthor challenges Superman to a fight on a planet with a red sun where the man of steel will have no powers, Superman accepts, Luthor discovers that the planet has succumbed to a scientific Dark Age and is about to succumb to a drought, Luthor offers to help, his battle with Superman comes, Luthor is about to win as the planet cheers him on but knowing that only Superman can save these people, he decides to throw the fight and with it, possibly the only chance he'll ever have of killing Superman. Luthor returns to prison where Superman later pays him a visit to inform him that the people of that barren world are safe and have named their world Lexor in his honour.
So it's a Luthor story, but it showcases a lot of what I loved about Superman as well. When Lois points out that the showdown is just macho posturing on Luthor's part, Superman explains that he can't let the public think the only battles are the ones you're guaranteed to win. There's Superman the way he sees himself - as a mortal man simply looking to do the right thing and there's Superman the way the world views him - as a flawless champion who the world can count on to keep them safe. Superman makes a very conscious choice to discard the mortal, vulnerable, not all knowing or all powerful side of himself to play the role that Earth has created for him as flawless champion by ironically making himself weak, vulnerable, and powerless.
Lexor hates Superman because they love Luthor and Superman is Luthor's enemy. The only reason Superman isn't killed on sight is because Luthor's code of honour prevents it. Nevertheless, when Superman takes Luthor back to Earth and his nemesis points out that even his genius can't fix their drought, Superman picks up on the "hint" and reminds Luthor that he doesn't do what he does for accolades. That the whole planet despises him doesn't even enter into the equation, Superman anonymously supplies them with water and lets Luthor get the credit.
That Superman even makes the effort to photograph the giant statue Lexor built in his enemy's honour and present it to his foe is testament to his faith in redemption for even his greatest adversary.
Plus, hey - Curt Swan art, hallucinations of his Krytonian parents, those weird beasts that carry water in their horns, and Superman and Luthor using their scientific skills against one another don't hurt either.
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